FRESH from the glitziest award ceremony in music – and with a smash hit credit already to her name – Fiona Bevan has all the right qualities to become a star in her own right.

Originally from Sudbury, the singer-songwriter, who along with Suffolk star Ed Sheeran penned One Direction’s chart-topper Little Things, will be appearing on stage in Ipswich next week.

With songs already described as “absolutely brilliant” by one critic and “spine-tingling” by Blur bassist Alex James, Fiona will performing her first UK gig since returning from Los Angeles, where she was a member of the star-studded audience watching her old friend and collaborator perform live with Elton John at the Grammys.

Now living in East London, Fiona grew up in Sudbury and worked part-time at the local record store, Compact Music, before embarking on her own career in the industry.

Several years ago, she and Ed Sheeran recorded a demo that was thought lost, until last spring when Fiona found the lyrics to Little Things and emailed them to her old songwriting friend, who took it on tour before trying it in the studio with One Direction.

More recently, Fiona was also commissioned to create and perform a new piece as part of the Tate Modern Visual Dialogues project.

She will be taking time out from recording her album to play at the Theta Cafe, in University Campus Suffolk’s Waterfront building, in Ipswich, on Thursday, February 21. Presented by the Woodbridge-based Blue Bus Tour, the gig will also feature support from Colchester-born Rhiannon Mair and Lucy Sampson, from Benhall.

For ticket details, go to fionabevan.eventbrite.co.uk